Bernard Cazeneuve and Theresa May sign cooperation agreement

Minister of the Interior Bernard Cazeneuve and UK Home Secretary Theresa May sign cooperation agreement to tackle illegal immigration

2 November 2015

Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve had a meeting over dinner in London on 2 November with his British counterpart, Theresa May.

The meeting was in keeping with the close cooperation our two governments have forged on the two major issues which have occupied European Union interior ministers for more than a year and a half now: the migration crisis and the fight against terrorism.

The two ministers signed a joint declaration on stepping up their cooperation with regard to illegal immigration.

On this basis, our governments will carry out technical and operational cooperation together in certain countries identified as a priority.

They also came to a common position on the essential issue of implementing as swiftly as possible a PNR (Passenger Name Record), which records air passenger data to make it possible to trace potential terrorists.

With the French government making a considerable effort, in the context of the migration crisis, to guarantee law and order and the care of migrants under decent conditions in the Calais area, the meeting also provided an opportunity to take stock of the implementation of the agreement signed in Calais on 20 August:

the €35-million investment programme for work to make the infrastructure (port and tunnel) secure is continuing at a very good pace;

most of the funds have already been allocated;

work on the port is virtually complete, and work on the Eurotunnel site will be finished by mid-November.

Police cooperation in the fight against networks and trafficking has also been stepped up considerably: since 1 November, a unified command has been set up, as has the command centre provided for in the declaration.

Periodic technical and operational discussion meetings are organized on either side of the Channel.

Finally, the British have also made more interpreters available for rare languages.

This coordination is bearing fruit: since 25 October, no illegal migrants have entered the UK via the Channel Tunnel, and attempted intrusions have fallen by some 90% in 10 days.